Helpless
by KeyLime422
Summary: "Don't touch me. Don't come near me." None of my imperatives ever had an effect. Demetri didn't care... Sky is a servant of the Volturi. What happens when the Cullens pay a visit and hear her cries? During Eclipse, Before BD-please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I dont own anything from Twilight: characters, plot, etc, just Sky (and her name might possibly change)**

I was pitiful.

I had no purpose in my life, other than to serve to the amusement of Demetri, and sometimes Felix. Jane and Alec usually left me alone-thankfully.

Demetri had carried her in, with his hand over her face to quiet her shrieks. I'd sat here for at least an hour, hoping that he wouldn't try to come and get me; hoping that he would find me as worthless as he said he did and leave me be. Maybe he would woo Heidi and forget about me. I'd forgotten that he'd gone out "fishing" today. They all had little nicknames for thier hunts. It was disgusting that they would measure a human life by their blood and nothing else.

They had their nicknames for everything. I guess after a couple dozen decades of living. Life seems a little dull sometimes. They didn't call me by my real name either. Bitch. Little Slut. They hardly ever even used an actual name. Usually just insults. Skylar Laine Branch. That was my name. I'd tried to tell them that my name was Sky. They'd laughed and slapped me around a bit. They always loved a reason to beat me around a bit; not that they needed one.

Like last month when Demitri and Felix decided to play volleyball with my body as the ball. They'd tossed me back and forth, bruising every last inch on my body. I'd tried not to make a sound, but I couldn't help but whimper a bit. They'd laughed at my pain and I came up with a few more ways to annihilate them.

Aro didn't care either. I was their "pet" and that was all. I was just an amusement; a trinket that would be forced into that chamber someday when their eyes turned black. I'd thought my time had come a few times, but then they would decide that they wanted to taunt me a little more. Caius had tossed me out of the room one time when I'd glared at him, so he was no use. Marcus just gave me a blank stare which I reflected. Did that man _ever _do _anything?_ I saw him converse with Aro and Caius and the guard...but there was never any emotion or feeling. The only expression I ever saw on his face was of sadness. It was so strong that it made me shudder.

Aro would sometimes talk to me, though, and I found it a little annoying. His touch was gritty and cold, and I hated the idea of him rifling through my head like I was a dictionary. He found me amusing though. As patronizing as he would make me feel, it was better to have my head patted than to have it shoved into a wall.

I had been so caught up in my own little pity party that I didn't hear Demetri approach. I tensed, my back rigid against the stone wall and my arms stretched tight across my knees. He was carrying a little girl in his arms.

She was struggling and he had his stony hand clasped firmly over her mouth. I could see her face was pink and there were tears on her face. I rose to my feet slowly, watching him. He saw me and grinned. I saw the cold smugness in his eyes and knew it couldnt be good.

"Look at what I caught this time," he said, gestering to the girl. I gasped. I knew that that was the only reason he could be carrying her, but I still felt my stomach lurch at his words. My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the little child. Her blonde curls were tossed in disarray and her bright blue eyes were alternating between growing large in fear and screwing tight as she screamed.

She couldn't have been more than 5 or 6. A chill washed through me. Why _why_ did he have to do this to me. I had a sick feeling in my gut that he'd trapped her especially to show me and then...I couldnt even finish the thought.

"No! Why? You never take children! Wha-" I finished trailing off desperately. My vision fuzzed at the edges and blinked quickly. What was going on. I felt the hate bubble next to the nausua. Not a good combination. I calmed down by taking a deep breathe and tried again.

"If you did this just to rub it in my face-" he cut me off.

"Of course not. She just smelled so delicious. I couldnt resist. Not that much meat on her bones. Oh well, appetizers are always a good start,"

"You sadistic, cruel, evil, demented-" He clasped his hand over my about-to-start-to-curse rant.

"Why are you even wasting your breathe, lovey? You know it's not going to do anything. She's going to be gone within the hour. Don't get your hair into a knot, I'll make it quick." he twisted his mouth until he showed almost all of his white, sharp teeth. I glared at him, wishing death on him a thousand times. The bitterness of the situation, my desperation, and the innocent child between us brought a few tears to my eyes. I blinked them back once again.

"Please just let her go. I'll wipe her memory. I promise to be careful. She's just a little girl. Don't do this." I begged, my voice a whisper. He just shook his head.

"At least let me put her out. She shouldnt have those images in her mind, especially as her last." I was pushing it, but I couldn't just stand here and let him torture her. Demetri rolled his eyes, but held her out. She started crying afresh as soon as he removed his hand. She was a tad heavy, but I was strong.

"Hush. It will all be over soon." I crooned to her and she quieted a bit. I sang a little tune for her, without words, but it still sounded calming and sweet. I wondered when the last time I sang was. I brushed my fingertips across her forehead, smoothing the ringlets. The small bit of magic I'd been able to save since Alec had gone out left my body and I used it to lull her into unconsciousness (**I really don't know how to spell it...).**

Demetri grabbed her back, but at least he took her time to be gentle with her. It didn't really matter; she would be out of it until...

I stumbled backwards, running down the halls until I reached the door to my room. Yanking it opened, I hurried inside.

**Ok, that was a pretty uplifted first chapter. I promise it will get better in the next 2 chapters. Please review; I 3 feedback!**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING FROM TWILIGHT (CHARACTERS, ETC) JUST PART OF THE PLOT AND SKYLAR **

**UPDATE A/N (4/11/09): I've been doing a bit of character development in my head since my last update, which I know was forever ago. I've changed the plot around and didn't want to post anything I'd have to rewrite later. One little change that I guess I should tell you about: Sky has green eyes, not brown and isn't a witch like I mentioned before, so I just redid this chapter. **

Edward POV:

Why were we going on this trip? I'd never really questioned Carlisle's judgment, but now I had to. These were _the Volturi_. The same monsters that'd almost killed my Bella, and still had it on their minds. This led me to wonder what we were doing on a plane bound for Volterra. It was killing me, being away from Bella, but I had to watch out for her. I couldn't bring her along. She was still at home with Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme. Emmett would keep her entertained and Esme would look out for her. Rosalie…she was there too.

It was overcast when we arrived in the city, perfect timing thanks to Alice. I felt vaguely bored as we ran down the passageways (much quicker without having to walk at a human pace) and went through the slightly cold formalities of greeting Aro, Marcus, and Caius. I went with Carlisle to talk to Aro and Marcus and Caius while Alice and Jasper skipped (Alice, not Jasper) away. Jasper had never been here before, and Alice decided to give him a bit of a tour.

Jasper POV:

The Volturi were fascinating vampires. I allowed myself to think this, since Edward wasn't around. He'd growl if he heard that. Alice tugged me around to different areas and jabbered on in her sweet little voice. I had the feeling that she did not want to be in the same room as Aro. I could taste the same emotions emanating around the rooms; mainly boredom, malice, and thirst. Of course, Alice was a bit anxious, but covering it with hyperactivity.

Suddenly the tenor of the emotions changed. I felt a heart-wrenching sorrow and heard faint sniffling from one of the corridors. _It must be a _human, I thought, since vampires can't cry. How many humans did the Volturi have here? I'd seen the receptionist, Gianna, earlier and marveled. I supposed I could see the appeal, but there was also so much to give up (especially for a human). I turned to face Alice, and she nodded, her eyes slightly vacant.

"This way," she said, pulling my arm. The sound grew louder as we approached another hall I stiffened for a moment, smelling the sure aroma of a human. I stared at Alice again, and her brow furrowed for a moment.

"It's alright, Jasper. You won't hurt her," she said, after shaking her head. I took a deep breathe and discovered that the scent didn't seem too overbearing. Without having to worry so much about ripping out somebody's throat, I was able to inspect the girl more closely. She was young, in her teens, and curled into a tight ball against the stone wall.

"Who are you?" she stared quizzically up at us. Her eyes were red, as well as her nose.

"I'm Alice and this is Jasper. We're here visiting the Volturi," Alice bounced forward softly, trying not to scare the girl. She was already a mix of terror and shame and distress. Alice gave me a look and inclined her head a fraction of an inch towards the girl. I sent a few calming waves to her, hoping it would work, however she seemed to be, subconsciously, shaking them off. I had to try a bit harder before she started to absorb the aura and I secretly hoped I wouldn't accidentally knock her out. Thankfully, her panic slowly began to dull.

"Did you need something, miss?" The girl asked, still puzzled by our presence. Her deep-brown eyes had darkened when Alice said 'Volturi'.

"No, but we heard you and wanted to see what was wrong," Alice told her.

"I'm fine, miss; sorry if I bothered you," she mumbled, looking back down. Alice opened her mouth to say something else, but another figure appeared. It was Marcus.

"Demetri wants you. Aro would like for you to join us and your coven." He said in a toneless voice, gesturing first at the girl and then at us.

"Yes sir," the girl sighed, springing to her feet, panic and dread returning, and starting down one of the other passageways, and we followed Marcus back into one of the drab gray foyers.

Sky POV:

Demetri needed me. No he really didn't. He merely had wanted to taunt me a bit more about the girl (sleeping safely until Heidi returned and the real feast began) and then to tell me that they were going to show me off. Apparently another coven was visiting and Aro wanted to show them his "fascinating discovery". I merely shrugged, but dutifully allowed Demetri to pull me to the room.

"And here she is now." Aro turned as we entered the room. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and caught a quick glimpse of the vampires. There were 8 of them total: Aro, Marcus, Caius, Demetri (yay…), the small one who'd I'd met earlier, the tall one who'd been with her, a bronze-haired man, and a golden-haired man with a kind, slightly confused, smile. The latter four all had the same yellow irises. I wondered about that. Did that make them more dangerous? Less?

"This is Skylar; she is the one I was telling you about." Aro continued.

What the heck? Why was he telling anybody about me?

"Aro, this has me a bit confused, I'll admit," the seemingly-kind one started, "I believed you did not keep many humans about."

"But that's the point. I had to bring her in to show you. She isn't quite a human. She's belongs to a different race of mortals, actually." I could practically see Aro's eyes widening with excitement. Did this guy have serious ADD as a human? He was so random and jovial, in a strange sort of way…

"This is all just fantastic, but can I go now?" I asked Demetri. He was the only one I really talked back to, the rest I was civil (even *gasp* polite) to. He was the only one who _really_ pissed me off.

"Shut up, bitch," he said coldly.

"Asshole," I muttered, knowing full well that he could hear me. I should have seen it coming, but I wouldn't have cared either way. In an instant, he had thrown me against the stone wall. I landed on my shoulder and had tried to partially recover myself the instant I made contact with the wall, hoping to prevent it from popping out of socket. It would have been broken if I hadn't reinforced my bones.

Enough of this crap, I thought, and I slammed the door and I ran through it. By this point, I knew what was going to happen next. I only made it up a few steps before Demetri (who'd followed me, quick as anything) threw me back down. I hit the wall and my hair clip snapped. My light hair tumbled far down my back and I glared at him. He yanked at my hair, but I used a bit of my power to resist him.

"Get out there, now," he growled in my face.

"No," I replied curtly.

"What the hell's your problem now?"

"You broke my hairclip," I stated, savoring this. I'd pay for it later, but I was _extremely_ pissed.

"I'll break your neck if you don't start moving,"

I have a very close relationship with my neck. It just so happens that it keeps my head attached to my body. Being so fond of it, I decided that it would not be a good thing to have it broken. I sighed and followed him out into the room again.

"Is she alright?" the man asked again. "The force of that throw surely broke a bone." Why the hell did he care?

"Like I was telling you before, this one is special. We've kept her around because of her abilities. As a "fighter", they are virtually endless. Fighters are a group of people with self-preservation defense powers. Their blood contains an added chemical, similar to human adrenaline, but much stronger. This substance can be manipulated to arm the body with certain powers, almost like magic, in the event of danger." The man nodded slowly at this explanation. I winced as I realized what was going to happen.

"Would you like a demonstration?" Aro asked innocently. For the love of all that is holy, please say 'no', I begged the man silently in my head. The bronze haired one stared at me. Had I said anything aloud? I returned the stare for a second and ducked my head. Direct eye contact has never been my strong point, especially around vampires.

Unfortunately, the man nodded, still seeming extremely confused. I was very suspicious at this point. Why were the Volturi bothering with me? I couldn't understand; I was never introduced (formally or informally) to guests. I felt a strange twinge in the back of my mind over both the upcoming "exhibition" and these golden-eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, its characters or plot. All Stephenie Meyer.**

**SPOV**

"Alright bitchface, let's have a show," Demetri gave me that smirk I'd always despised. I crossed my arms defensively. He could be so thick sometimes. I couldn't use most of my abilities with Alec in the vicinity.

My powers worked very strangely. I didn't have that much control over them. They only were present in the event of danger. I still had some in my bloodstream at all times of couse, but they didn't amount to much unless I needed to use them in self defense or protection. I'd been working on saving the little bit I had over the past few years, and was only just getting the hang of them.

I'd taken. I'd managed to strengthen my bones, until they were about ¾ as strong as the vampires', to keep me from getting squashed too easily. But Alec kept my powers from fully activating when I really did need some help *cough when Demetri got bored cough*.

"Hold on," the man with the coppery hair spoke up. What are you going to have her do?"

"He should know perfectly well that I can't really _do_ anything." I growled, glaring at Demetri.

"And why the hell would that be?" he retorted.

"Alec's still here isnt he? He negates anything more than my strength." I told him, trying to keep the condesending note out of my voice.

It was hard enough to try to manipulate the energy as it was. I worked hard every day to keep up my strength. True, living with the Volturi was fairly dangerous, but still…nobody knew for sure how Fighter blood really worked. It was a strange defense mechanism.

"He's out with Heidi, moron," Demetri told me in a sneering voice.

"I don't give a damn if he's out with the Prime Minister of England! What makes you think that I can "give a show"?" I was losing my temper fast.

"What did you just say to me?" He started menacingly, then gave that twisted little smirk again. "I suppose this really shouldn't surprise me. You always were so pathetic. Just like that little "spell" you had to cast to wipe everybodys' memory before. It knocked you out for days, poor little baby. And then you cried, didn't you? Well, I bet they would be thankful now; they don't ever have to remember having you in their lives." Sarcasm and malice dripped from every syllable. I dug my nails into my palms, almost drawing blood, while listening to his insults rain down on me.

"Then again, I saw them too, that day. Your dear auntie and uncle, and your little cousin. Pathetic too, if you ask me. I bet they're just little trashy scu-" He didn't get to finish his sentence. He staggered back and hit the wall pretty hard (payback) as the force of my roundhouse kick caught him square in the chest.

"Don't talk that way about my family. They're much better people than you could ever be!" I told him as his eyes went livid. I braced myself, hoping that my abilities might decide that this was a life-in-danger moment.

"You little bitch!" He roared at me, I felt the charged adrenaline (**that's the super chemical in her blood until I can think of a better name ^-^. Oh, and I'm sorry if my description is bad…just ask via review or PM)** course through my body as I blocked his attack.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he aimed a hit at me, but I ducked just in time. In my periphery vision, I saw the golden-eyes move forward, but Aro blocked his path.

"Just watch. I'm sure this is going to get more interesting," I heard him tell them.

"But she'll get hurt." I heard one of them protest. Aro ignored this point.

We continued sparring for a couple minutes. Fighter or not, I wasn't extremely experienced (aka, I didn't know what the hell I was doing) and I was just focused on saving my butt from the centuries-old vampire in front of me. At one point I had myself run halfway up the wall (ok, so they do come in handy occasionally).

I must've gotten distracted because I immediately felt the air rush through my ears and Demetri had me pinned, by the throat, to the wall. Damn, I hate walls. He just hissed more venom-filled threats at me, but I was a little distracted by the more pressing issue of breathing

I couldn't get any air. I only managed to draw a shallow small breath, and I started seeing fuzzy black dots in my line of vision. They began to cloud my eyesight. Demetri would not relinquish his grip and I knew I was going to suffocate in seconds.

My green eyes widned and I met his semi-frenzied, yet cocky gaze. I really hoped I hadn't. I didn't want those sinister burgandy irises to be the last thing I saw. Damn, I was holding out for the life-flashing-before-my-eyes thing; if I didn't even get that, then I wanted a refund.

**A****lice POV**

I couldn't see the outcome of this fight. I wanted to help her so badly. Who put a slight teenaged human up against a vampire? Especially one of the Volturi members? Aro had already stopped us from trying to help her and I knew that we could not cross him. We couldn't get any more strikes against our family.

I watched in horror as Skylar struggled to breathe. This was just pure cruelty. Her struggling form seemed to go limp for a moment before, and here I couldn't believe my eyes, she disappeared in a splash of water! Demetri staggered back away from the puddle and the water on his hands siphoned itself off, on its own accord. I heard everybody, myself included, gasp. Where had the girl gone???

**EPOV**

The puddle on the ground started to simmer and splash before my widened eyes. There was very little that could take me by surprise, but I had to count this girl in that category. My telepathy on her mind had zoned as soon as she'd "dissolved". I could only hear a small strand of her thoughts. They were no longer clear. But how was this possible? I'd heard the words "fighter" and "abilities" in her mind, but I still couldn't quite understand what was going on. My brow furrowed, trying to comprehend _what_ she was…

The water formed the outline of a human figure seconds before Skylar reemerged, a dripping mess, coughing, on the stone floor.

**Ok, so I'm not that great at writing fight scenes, but that means you guys can play with it in your imagination a bit. If any of this is confusing (I had to keep writing it so I thought it might make sense) just say so. Everything makes sense in my own little world, but I have to keep remembering that it doesn't to everybody else. Toodles! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, its characters or plot. All Stephenie Meyer.**

**Previously: (EPOV)**

_The water formed the outline of a human figure seconds before Skylar reemerged, a dripping mess, coughing, on the stone floor. _

**Skylar POV**

To use one of Aro's favorite words, that certainly was exhillarating. But not necessary in the good way. I felt my body trembling before completely dissolving, then had to try to, quite literally, pull myself back together. It wasn't painful, but not alltogether pleasant either.

I coughed, feeling the water leaving my lungs, and trying to breathe in fresh oxygen. Standing above me, Demetri gave a cold laugh as he watched me struggle. I scrambled to my feet and ran through the door behind me, noting that I probably would have to clean up the mess of water I left behind later. I didn't need any more of this pointless humiliation.

As I walked through the stone hallway, my heart began to fill with more and more trepidation. I shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have provoked Demetri. He wouldn't forget this one. I cringed at the thought of what he might do for payback. I hoped he'd just leer and gloat, maybe push me around a little. Any sort of punishment like that would certainly be better than…I cringed again and forced myself to focus on other thoughts.

Demetri and the rest of the guard, as well as the Volturi themselves were all my masters. As much as I hated to admit or acknowledge it, I was supposed to be respectful to all of the vampires here. I'd made a very binding contract with Aro, and couldn't cross it.

It was the adreneline in my blood. It replenished itself after I'd put the little girl to sleep. But I didn't use it, and it made me bold. Too bold. Now it had worn off and I was regretting what had happened. I called Demetri an asshole and purposefully tried to fight him.

_I shouldn't have done that. I really shouldn't have done that. He's really going to get me now…._

**Carlisle POV**

I watched the girl get her bearings back before abruptly leaving the room. I turned back to my old aquaintance, wondering why in the world this girl was here.

"Aro, please explain."

He smiled calmly before beginning.

"You see, a few years ago, three to be exact, right before one of our feedings, we found Skylar in the group of panicking humans. Of course, we didn't pay very much attention to her, until she stopped us from feeding on her and her younger brother. That was quite a surprise! She wanted to keep him safe, and I decided to hear her out. She explained what she could to me about her abilities, and, as you just saw, they're quite interesting. It was a fair exchange, taking into account our principles, my friend." Aro finished.

"But how long are you planning on keeping her here? She's a living breathing child." I argued. It had already been three years. Even if she had somewhat had a choice in this, it still wasn't right.

"It was a mutual decision. Now, as part of our world, we don't have to worry about secrecy as much with her, but her fate has already been decided." Aro didn't seem too enthusiastic about being moved in this situation, but I tried again.

"We could take her in. I know only a few years doesn't seem like such a large amount of time to us, but to humans, it is. She's paid her dues, it seems. She'd still be under the watch of a coven." I tried another tactic. I didn't have abilities like Jasper or Edward, but I knew a distressed human when I saw one, and this girl, especially around Demetri, was a classic example.

"Hmm, Aro considered that. He extended his hand and I took it. I felt him sifting through my memories, my questioning of his life, all of it. I did not mind, and I had a feeling he would not take it personally.

"Well, let us see what the girl has to say about this idea. You are the one who's so concerned about her decision, we should make sure we're not forcing her into another."

"Jane, would you please?" He turned to the tiny figure who'd faded into the background.

"Of course, Master Aro," She smiled at him, before disappearing. A moment later, she appeared with the girl in tow. She looked much different than she had just minutes before. Any confidence in her had gone out with that fight, and she kept her head down, damp blonde hair covering her pale face. She had her hands in her jeans' pokets and seemed much less at ease.

"Thank you for joining us. My friend Carlisle has a proposition that I think you'd be interested in hearing." Aro explained

She lifted her head and looked at me, her bright green eyes uncertain. I noted the shivers and gooseflesh, but couldn't be sure if they were the result of fear or standing in wintry temperatures in nothing but a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.

"Hello, Skylar." I said politely, not wanting to scare her. She nodded. I proposed my question, making it clear that the final say was up to her, and that I wasn't trying to force her into anything. She was quiet, not saying anything. I could feel Jasper passing a wave of calm over us.

The slightly awkward pause continued and I tried to backtrack. Perhaps I'd overstepped.

"Of course I'm very sorry if I've made any assumptions and you'd rather stay here."

"No," she said in a small voice. She wasn't focusing her stare towards me anymore. And we could all tell why. I heard the squabble of voices, above us on the blacktop. It was time for another feeding. I fought back the shudder inside of me. They were still several minutes away. I was surprised that she could hear them, but maybe she'd just known it was coming.

"I'd like that, sir." She continued in the same near-whisper.

"Then let's get packing," Alice skipped forward. I kew she wanted to end this meeting, get Jasper out of here. "I'll help you get your things together." She said kindly to the girl. They left the room while Aro called Heidi on a cell phone, telling her to halt the "tour" for a moment. I was relieved that he was thoughtful enough to allow us that courtesy.

Alice and Skylar returned two minutes later, Skylar carrying a backpack and small bag, while Alice held a suitcase. We exchanged our goodbyes with the Volturi and quickly headed down the hallways.

**Edward POV**

We hurried down the stone corridors, none of us wanting to witness the coming carnage or risk becoming a part of it. When we reached the reception area, Skylar paused and turned towards Gianna. We stopped in response and I could hear what she wanted to do.

"Go ahead, you should tell her goodbye." I spoke from behind her. She jumped slightly at the sound of my voice and set down her bags before giving Gianna a hug.

"Are you leaving with them?" I heard Gianna ask. She didn't even seem too surprised. Either that or she was very good at controlling her emotions.

"Yes. I don't want to stay here anymore," Skylar responded, still speaking in a low voice.

"Buona fortuna, Skylar. Spero che troviate la felicità." She murmured in Italian. (Good luck, Skylar. I hope you find happiness)

"Grazie. Spero che possiate trovare la stessa cosa." Skylar said, before picking up her things again. (Thank you. I hope you find the same thing) People began to filter into the room, their voices loud and confused. Skylar looked at them with wide eyes, her head filled with thoughts of sympathy and despair.

"We should leave now, quickly," I said. Skylar nodded, her head down again. She was just as eager to escape now. We ignored the strange looks we were receiving from the crowd and squeezed through the door. A little boy towards the end of the queue tugged on Skylar's pant leg. She stopped.

"Scusilo, che cosa sta accendendo? Ciò è sconosciuta." He frowned up at her. (Excuse me, what's going on there. This is very strange). I saw moisture gather in her eyes, but before she could reply, his mother pulled him along. We made it through the rest of the underground area and elevator in silence, coming at last to the gates.

I saw a small smile flit across Skylar's face as we latched them securely behind us and leave the alleyway. I was glad to be away from there as well; it brought back less-than-pleasant memories.

_Have we done the right thing, Edward? Was I wrong to do this?_ Carlisle still seemed worried.

"Don't worry," I assured him. My tone was too low and quick for human ears. I glanced at the grin on Skylar's face as she stared up into the clouds, a breeze tousling her hair. "Any place other than there is better for her."


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: If anybody's still out there. I'm back. Hope this chapter's up to scratch; remember, any reviews (advice or criticism) are welcome!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING (EXCEPT SKY)**

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**EPOV**

"She should ride with Alice and Jasper," Carlisle told me quietly. He spoke low to keep the girl from hearing. She probably couldn't even notice; his lips barely moved as he voiced his opinion.

"We shouldn't push Jasper..." I started, glancing at him. He glared, hearing the obvious skepticism in my response. I merely quirked an eyebrow, daring him to contradict me. Bella's birthday would stand out in my mind for the rest of my existance. I had my reservations. There was something about this girl that reminded me of Bella. Maybe it was her almost-translucent skin or just the air of fragility. Whatever personality she'd exhibited in Demetri's "show" had left her. She hadn't said a word since we'd left the Volturi, just kept her face, with her wide-eyed surprise not entirely hidden, firmly tilted towards the ground, the grin I'd glimpsed earlier gone.

"But he can keep her calm. She's nervous. He's been calming her this entire time." Carlisle argued again.

"And I'm perfectly capable of knowing and helping if she starts to panic. Besides, Alice might overwhelm her." I countered.

"I'm a little offended, Edward. I know how to control myself. And so does Jasper." Alice didn't even turn her head, trying, like us, to avoid letting Skylar know we were having a conversation. "Besides," she added, "she doesn't even know your name."

Hmm. I guess in our hurry to leave, I hadn't introduced myself. I turned towards the girl. She'd been walking silently along with us this entire time, and we'd almost reached the parking lot where we'd left the cars. I tuned into her thoughts for a minute.

_Why are they so concerned about which car I'm in? It shouldn't matter... I didn't know he could control emotions. That would explain why I feel so relaxed, because I really shouldn't... So, his name's Edward. It fits him. I wonder if this is thier entire coven. I heard Aro say they were large, so there must be more_...

"You could hear that entire conversation?" I asked her, surprised at the stream of consciousness I'd heard specifically. She finally looked up, meeting my gaze for a second. She nodded after hesitating for the briefest amount of time.

I'm Edward," I backtracked and politely introduced myself. I wondered how I could explain my gift, but I supposed that, after living with the Volturi, it wouldn't be a shock. "I can hear others' thoughts. It's my gift, like Jasper can feel emotions, like you've seen. I don't do it to be rude; it's just something that I can't turn off."

"I understood," she nodded, her voice timid, "It's nice to meet you, sir," her eyes flicked to mine, "formally," she added.

"Do you have a preference?" Alice asked her, motioning towards the rental cars. As Alice just had seen would happen, Skylar shook her head.

"Alright, then it looks like you're riding with us." She smiled brightly, trying to reassure Skylar without showing too many teeth to scare her. She twirled the keys in her hand. "It's only a short ride to the airport. We'll have to pick up an extra ticket for you."

Skylar stumbled over the curb as she stepped towards the backseat. My hand automatically shot out to steady her. She flinched at the contact, and I relinquished my grip as soon as I saw she had her balance.

"Thank you, sir."

"The title's unneccessary," I assured her, stopping her apology before she could get it out, waving my hand.

She nodded again, a natural reaction, it seemed, for her, and climbed into the back of the car.

* * *

Skylar, surprisingly enough, had a valid passport. Or, a very well-forged passport that could pass security. Regardless, we'd managed to buy her ticket and get on the plane smoothly. It would be a few hours before we changed flights to the one that would take us back to Washington. I had a feeling that we'd have to wake Skylar up at that point, though. She had circles under her eyes, and proved my theory correct an hour later. "Fighter" or not, she was still a human, and today's events were evidently catching up with her.

Her dreams did little to tell me anything about her history though. They were vague, memories of Gianna giving her little commodities for the little room she'd stayed in with the Volturi, a few memories of Jane torturing her, while she struggled not to scream. The former saddened me and the latter made me wince. I relayed this trivial information to Carlisle.

"What are we going to do with her once we get back to Forks?" Alice asked, whispering to avoid drawing attention. I was sitting behind her and Jasper; Carlisle and Skylar were across from us.

"It won't be too hard to think of a cover story. She doesn't have any connections to anybody; the Volturi wouldn't have let her live if there was even the smallest chance of drawing attention or suspicion." Jasper reasoned, "She's just another orphan or victim of society that Carlisle chose to pity and adopt." He added, smiling at Skylar's sleeping form.

"I wasn't able to consult any of you or the others about this decision, but can I take that as a vote of support?" Carlisle question. Jasper and Alice nodded their agreement. Beside him, Skylar shivered in her sleep. Carlisle shrugged his jacket off and put it around her, it draped around her frame, successfully working as an impromptu blanket.

"You've done the right thing, Carlisle. And Jasper's right, she won't draw any attention in Forks. We could probably pass her off as Jasper and Rose's long lost little sister or something, she's pale and blonde, which is good enough for most people. She'll win over Esme as soon as Esme sees her, and I can't see Emmett objecting. Rosalie..." I trailed off, smirking.

"...won't be able to argue. This girl obviously has already passed the inconspicuousness test. She's not even entirely human, so let's hope that Rosalie won't get too jealous of that. She's cute, but only by human standards, and I can't see her attitude giving Rose a problem."

* * *

**SPOV**

A cold hand gently shook me awake. I started, trying to get my bearings. The events of the past couple of hours had been real, it seemed, and not a figment of my imagination.

"I didn't mean to startle you. But we're finally here. You've slept through most of the trip. Do you even remember when we switched flights?" Carlisle asked softly.

I thought back. He'd awakened me when we landed at some airport over in Europe to board this flight. I flushed a bit when I realized that I'd been sleeping this entire time. I hoped they didn't think I was rude. I hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it just happened. Stupid insomnia.

"Relax. We don't mind at all. Just try to wake up some more just to get back to the house." Carlisle soothed.

They'd explained, briefly, about their lifestyle when we'd been at the second airport. A girl had accidently bumped into Jasper, and he stiffened as he took in her proximity. I'd panicked a bit then too, questioning if this decision was the right one. Had I gone from the frying pan into the fire? Were these vampires worse than the Volturi? Were they just messing with my head, being kind, before hurting me?

"He's fine. He's not going to do anything to her. We don't follow the same kind of diet as the Volturi," Alice had whispered into my ear. I had jumped at her closeness, but listened intently, "It's why our eyes are like this. Deer, mountain lion, but that's the extent. I promise." She spoke so earnestly that I believed her. This impossible control was what allowed them to maintain a house and have so many vampires in their coven. I was still trying to wrap my mind around it.

"We were just planning on running home," Alice turned to me, apologetically. "But I already called Esme; she's on her way." Her phone was out in her hand.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"It's ok, there's nothing to apologize for," she smiled. "Just sit tight, she'll be here soon. Everything's going to be fine."

_Everything's going to be fine._ The sentence echoed in my jetlagged mind. I wanted to believe all that these vampires had told me. But right now, I couldn't. I went with my default reaction when it came to vampires. I nodded and did as she said, sinking down into the plastic chair behind me.

* * *

**Sooo...? Review please! It's the only way I'll know that somebody actually cares about this story and wants me to update.**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR ANY AFFILIATED CHARACTERS, IDEAS, ETC, JUST MY LITTLE PLOT TWIST AND OUTSIDE CHARACTER!**

**AN: I sincerely apologize for abandoning my stories and the extremely long incriments of time that pass between my updates. It's a bad habit. I'm working on it...thus the update now, hehe. Try to be understanding, and enjoy the next chapter! (I hope I can start clarifying some points about Skylar's story in the next couple of chapters).**

**PS: I realize that in one chapter, I wrote that Skylar's eyes are brown. Then in another, I wrote that they were green. They are, in fact, supposed to be green. Just green. Sorry for any confusion. **

* * *

**EPOV**

The ride home was thankfully uneventful. I was worried that Skylar might panic. She hadn't reacted much during the flights or at the airport, and mentally seemed to be absorbing it without allowing herself to fully comprehend it. Her anxiety was supressed at the moment and I wasn't sure how long that could last. I watched her carefully as we sped through Port Angeles and Forks. Outwardly, she was still fine and internally, all of her thoughts were superficial and controlled.

When we reached the house, she took in the sight of it wordlessly and walked inside behind us, the jet-lag obviously catching up with her. She had politely stammered a greeting to Esme when she'd met us at the airport, ducking her head and addressing her as "ma'am". Esme had maintained her composure well, having recieved a quick synopsis of Skylar's situation over the phone with Carlisle, but I could easily distinguish her dismay at the circumstances.

"I can help you up to your room, if that's alright with you," Alice broke the silence as we filed into the house. She was carrying Skylar's bags, save for the backpack hanging from the girl's shoulders. Skylar nodded and followed Alice up the steps. She would be taking Emmett's room. Emmett being Emmett, he had hardly decorated it; he spent most of his time in the garage or in Rosalie's room. The space was basic, with a leather sofa similar to my own, a chest of drawers and closet that had already been cleared of his things. He'd let the stereo and bookcase, the latter of which held only a few books, and the desk, which was nearly completely empty. Overhead, we could hear Alice giving her a quick tour. One of the more random benefits of using Emmett's room was that it was linked to a full bathroom. Skylar being human, we figured it was the most convenient option for her.

"I'll let you get settled in; you've had a long day. If you need anything or have any questions, just let one of us know." We heard Alice conclude.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you," Skylar murmured.

"Just 'Alice'," Alice laughed gently. "You don't need to use any of those titles around us," she told Skylar. A nonverbal reply, and a second later, Alice was back with us in the den. Esme went to speak, but Alice held up one finger, looking overhead. I already knew what she was waiting for. A minute passed, then the bathroom door clicked shut and the shower turned on. It was already 11 o'clock, but I supposed that Skylar's sense of time was already hopelessly scrambled that it didn't really matter to her. Skylar had already surprised us with her ability to hear us before, and we wanted to be able to discuss this without worrying about her reactions.

"Ok, start talking," Emmett and Rosalie walked through the door. Carlisle had also asked them to stay in the garage until after we'd arrived at home; there was no reason to risk overwhelming this perplexing girl. They settled down on the couch, Jasper in the armchair next to them, Alice leaning against it on the ground, I at my piano, and Carlisle and Esme standing together.

"When we were visiting the Volturi, Alice-" Carlisle began.

"Of course you had something to do with this, Alice," Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"She did. And I'm glad that she did, because it's clear to anybody who stays with that girl for more than five minutes that she's terrified, on constant red alert." Jasper replied sharply. We all looked to him in surprise. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, looking thoughtful.

"Although, her thoughts are very contained," I commented. To the untrained, and perhaps un-immortal, eye, it would be difficult to sense her fear.

"She's traumatized. Pushes things away mentally. But emotionally, she can't hide it all." He continued. "You all felt all of my attempts at calming her. I could hardly even get through to her. Perhaps it's the, as Aro called it, 'fighter blood' in her, but it's certainly, and sadly, interesting."

"Why the hell was she even with the Volturi?" Emmett questioned. "You guys called here, asked us to get a room ready, not that I really mind that part, and told us that you were bringing a human girl with you, who was somehow connected to the Volturi, and that we were to stay out of sight until after she was preoccupied to keep from scaring her." He sounded skeptical about the whole thing.

"Aro told me that she'd been brought in with one of the feeding groups. Somehow, she'd managed to avoid being killed, and begged them to spare her brother. Aro agreed to release him and in exchange, Skylar stayed with the Volturi. An little addition to his living collection. She's what he called, 'a fighter', something that I'm not familiar with. Apparently, she possesses superhuman abilities to some extent, which is most likely what has kept her alive for the past three years. It allowed her to fight with Demetri without being killed, makes the scent of her blood less potent, and, from what I can infer, makes her a great deal bolder," Carlisle spoke up. He'd been turning this story over in his mind throughout both airplane flights, and now spoke carefully, especially about his forming theories. I nodded my support, having noted all of these things as well.

"The Volturi supposedly treasure secrecy above all else. So how was she able to make Aro agree with her?" Rosalie asked suspiciously.

"From what Demetri was saying, she had somehow managed to make her family forget about her existance. Again, whatever mechanism is in her blood was able to trigger this." Carlisle finished, his brow furrowed. "And Aro would've easily been able to tell if she was being truthful and if she'd accomplished this feat."

"And we can trust this story," Rosalie was not wholly convinced.

"I do not trust the Volturi about many things, but this, I know is true. They would not have let her come with us if there was any kind of percieved threat. And I couldn't sense any false pretenses. As strange as it is, I do not think that it is contrived." I reasoned.

"Still, we needed to consult you about this decision. Jasper can make other arrangements for the girl through his connection if you have any serious qualms about it," Carlisle turned to Esme then Rosalie and Emmett.

"My heart goes out to the poor dear," Esme said immediately. "I'm perfectly fine with it."

"Given that the story's true, then I'm in. Sounds like she's spent the last three years in hell. If she's fine with it, then I promise to try to not scare her too badly," Emmett grinned.

"I guess I'm out-voted regardless," Rosalie snipped. "I don't particularly like it, but if we have no reason to worry," here she sounded doubtful but continued, "then I can tolerate it."

Which was the best form of 'yes' Rosalie could do.

* * *

A few hours later, we were all settled in the nearly the same positions as we had been when we'd first gotten home, the TV on but turned down low, books and magazines situated in our hands. I'd debated going to Bella's house, just to watch over my angel, but decided against it. As much as I missed her, I had a feeling that I should stay at the house. Skylar had fallen asleep, which should have been a good thing, except, now her thoughts were far less censored and far more disconcerting. Although I was used to trying to block everybody out, I couldn't help but be slightly curious about what she might give away in this state.

I was surprised as a vivid dream formed in her mind. Before I could help it, I was drawn into the scenario. The perspective was strange, as though I was standing off to the side and watching the event occur, rather than be directly in the mindset of Skylar. Not many people had dreams from this viewpoint.

_Demetri pushed the slim frame of the girl against the wall. Her eyes were huge, the pupils dialated and she brought her arms up to fend him off. It was the Skylar that had accompanied us home, not the one who we'd seen fight Demetri. He smirked at her feeble attempts at defense. _

"Edward? What's wrong?" Alice asked, pulling part of my brain back into to the den. I shook my head, concentrated on the hazy but horrific images from Skylar's mind. Alice immediately understood, glancing at the ceiling. I also registered the increase in movement upstairs. It sounded like Skylar was tossing over and fidgiting on the couch. The dream continued.

_Skylar was on the ground now, Demetri over top of her. There were a few scraps of clothing on the floor behind them. Demetri moved quickly and furiously, one hand cupped over the girl's mouth, tears leaking onto the pale skin from Skylar's shut eyes. Her face was pink, and although she struggled, she was too firmly pinned underneath Demetri's form._

_The images shifted slightly. Different time. Slightly different location. Same occurance._

I shut my eyes against the rest of the memory, squeezing the bridge of my nose. It had been a while since I'd been exposed to such a strong memory. Above us, the flailing subsided, ending with Skylar falling with a dull _thump_ to the ground. Esme, who'd been watching me intently, looked up, her face a mask of almost painful concern. We listened silently as Skylar stumbled towards the bathroom, shutting the door, sniffling. The sink ran as she splashed in the water of the faucet. Another very faint nose indicated that she had assumed a position on the bathroom floor, still crying.

"Should I...?" Esme was halfway out of her chair.

"No. You can't help her right now. Quite frankly, any of our presences would only make her more uncomfortable. Mentally, she isn't at the point where she can differentiate between us and the Volturi. It's going to take some time," Alice spoke.

"Can you tell us what was so upsetting to her?" Esme persisted.

"It's not my place to say," I hesitated.

"Edward, under the circumstances, it won't help things if you don't tell us," Carlisle reasoned.

"So what was all that about?" Rosalie rolled her eyes, the sarcastic habit grating on my nerves.

"Of all people, Rosalie, you shouldn't be so quick to judge her," I snapped.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rosalie's eyes narrowed.

"He was her Royce, Rosalie," I tried to speak calmly, anger filtering through my mind as I re-proccessed what I'd seen. "Twice. And she had to live, see him everyday, with _that_ haunting her. And I sincerely doubt that she'll be able to get the same peace of mind that you did. I know you're not very sympathetic to her plight, but have just a little compassion." I spit. Abashed, Rosalie wouldn't meet my eyes, but I could hear the guilt in her thoughts.

"I didn't..." she muttered, her own dim recollections flashing through her mind. Emmett rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"_We're going to all have to be very careful_," Carlisle noted, concern knotting his face as he looked at me. I continued to listen to his thoughts. _"We've got a human child, who can't be more than 16, who's obviously had some very painful encounters with our kind. We'll have to talk with her when she wakes." _

I nodded to his unspoken observations. This was certainly going to be an interesting twist on things.

* * *

**So...? Any feedback? Really? Aw, thanks! Haha, in all seriousness, I would appreciate just a line or two about this chapter from a few people. No pressure, but it does encourage me to write again. I'm sorry if it seems a little slow-paced right now. But...at least I have a semi-solid idea for the next chapter, right? Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: To be short, sweet, and to the point, here's the next chapter. It's been too long. I know. Enjoy/Tolerate.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN "TWILIGHT"**

**Moving on...**

* * *

**Skylar POV**

The memories assualted my subconscious. I tried to block them out, push them away, but it was a futile effort. I couldn't stop the images: Demetri, his face twistedly smug, his cool breath on my face; my shirt torn open, my jeans ripped. In my confused, half-awake state, the pillow disappeared from underneath my head, replaced with cold stone, the blankets tangled around me turned into his body, weighing me down, trapping my legs. _Thump._ I was grateful when I felt my body make solid contact with the carpet beneath me, effectively waking me from my dream. I squinted, stumbled to my feet and made my way to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me, although anything that I was afraid of wouldn't be hindered by a something as trivial as a door.

The tears were already streaming down my face, wet, salty trails mixing with my already sweat-dampened hair. I wiped a few strands from my face. I was too hot. Shaking. I clenched my hands into fists against the white countertop until my knuckles were white. I twisted the tap and splashed cold water on my face and listened to the thick pounding of my heartbeat in my ears. Waves of nausea made my head ache and I slid down the length of the wall, defeated by my own nightmare.

My panic quelled enough for me to think straight, I was mentally accosted by another set of memories, from the Cullens' arrival in underground Volterra, the eerily calm plane ride, and the strange circumstances that had brought me to this room in the first place. They were all downstairs; the charged adrenaline had pulsed through my system thanks to the nightmare and was helpful in relaying this much information. But there were no tell-tale hearts or breathing patterns, which made it difficult to discern anything else. Given the general air of stillness in the rest of the house, I assumed that they were listening to me.

I ddin't trust them, that much was certain. They had done nothing to harm me thus far, but it was just a natural reaction at this point. If they chose to kill me, they could very easily do so. I believed what they had said about their "vegetarian" lifestyle because the Volturi had commented about occassionally, and it was a plausible explanation. They hadn't had to give me any explanation, and it was much simpler to just accept this one as true. But all of that aside, they still held my fate in their hands. Human-friendly or not, they were still very much a threat to me.

My head just continued to throb and ache as I tried to sort out everything. I was away from the Volturi. That was good. I was with another fairly large vampire coven with individuals who possessed formidable skills. That made me even more leery. I was in the United States, back in my home country, at least. Not too bad. I was sleeping on a regular bed, in a regular room, with all the regular works. That was fine by me. But I was still surrounded by strangeness. And I was still, for all intents and purposes, alone. And I was still scared. The fear twisted my stomach into a knot and although I made my way back to the bed and laid my head down, it was not until I had pulled the blanket off of the mattress and laid down on the floor, did I fall asleep.

When I awoke again, I felt even more restless. I walked over to the window in hopes of seeing the sunrise, but no such luck. I missed those, but here, I got the impression that those were rarely vivid or bright. I didn't know what was the proper etiquette to do next. A very large part of me was terrified to walk out of this room until physically forced, but then the very small rational part of me reminded me that such a future event was easily feasible. I resolved to stick to a semblance of a normal routine. I dug a fresh set of clothes out of my bag and headed into the bathroom, which, I had found out last night, was filled with a collection of bath soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, etc. I grabbed a few bottles, stripped off my clothes, turned the shower on, and hopped in. I had already showered last night, but felt compelled to do it again, maybe to scrub the wierdness off of me, or some sort of bizarre rationale along those lines.

I carefully wrapped a towel around myself as I combed my hair. As the fog on the mirror faded, I leaned forward to inspect myself. I hadn't bothered to look at my reflection much in the past three years and now that I saw that the differences weren't major, I was both comforted and disappointed. My face was the same; same green eyes, same plain nose with a few freckles scattered across it. My skin was paler, almost translucent, and under the bathroom lights, it just seemed sickly. I shrugged into my clothes and relunctantly opened the door, approached the staircase, and descended.

* * *

Holy cow, there were even more of them.

I faltered halfway down the staircase as I took in the sight of two more vampires with the others, all gathered in the main room. I matched each with a name in my head, hoping that even in my dazed state the night before, I had been able to keep them all straight. The one who seemed like the leader, Mr. Carlisle, was casually reading the newspaper in the one armchair, his mate, the lady who had shown up at the airport last night, Ms. Esme next to him. The one with the bronze hair, the one who could hear my thoughts, was seated at the piano in the corner, although the lid was down. Mr. Edward. Check. The smaller one who had helped me with her things was on the sofa next to her mate, the one who kept trying to make me relax. Ms. Alice and Mr. Jasper.

That left the pair standing by the window. The one looked like he belonged with Demetri and Felix; he was huge, with threatening bands of muscle easily visible underneath his t-shirt. The other was so lovely that I fought the urge to blink and look away. She reminded me of Heidi, if only because of her beauty, since they shared no other traits. Her hair was long and flowed across her shoulders and back in a golden wave, her posture was perfect, and her features flawless. I felt even more out of place, but before I could turn and flee back up the stairs, Mr. Jasper spoke. He must've sensed my dismay.

"Good morning," He smiled gently and I listened to his slight Southern drawl, the sound reminding me of home. Ms. Alice turned and beamed as well. As if on cue, Mr. Carlisle neatly folded his paper, laid it aside, and stood up, as I made my way down the rest of the steps.

"Good morning, sir," I did the best to keep the quiver out of my voice. He frowned for the briefest instant and I remembered Ms. Alice and Mr. Edward telling me both that I didn't have to say "sir," or "ma'am,". I quickly erased the Mr.'s and Ms.'s from my mental labels.

"It doesn't really matter what you call us. If you say it out of habit, then that's fine. We just wanted you to know that none of that formality is necessary." Edward spoke up, having already processed my thoughts.

"Thank you," I mumbled, cutting myself off before I could add the "sir".

"Skylar, this is Emmett and Rosalie, the other members of our family." Carlisle smoothly introduced me to the intimidating figures. They made no move to approach me, which I appreciated, but the large one, Emmett gave me a huge grin. I looked down, tried not to flinch at his show of teeth, and prayed that he wouldn't interpret it as rudeness. Rosalie gave me a more subdued look.

"I know that you're probably still very confused," Carlisle continued, changing topics, "but I think it might be best if you could tell us a little more about yourself. Your situation with the Volturi was incredibly unique. If you could, we'd appreciate it if you could explain it a bit more. In return, we'd be happy to answer any of your questions about us, of course." He looked at me, earnestly curious.

I nodded and opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't really know how much detail he wanted.

"You can start at the very beginning, if you'd like, if it's easier for you. Or the middle. Take your time." Edward encouraged, already knowing the reason behind my hesitation.

"My...family, we went to Italy on vacation, the summer after I'd turned 12. When we were in Volterra, David, my little brother, wandered off." The bitter memory of the people who would've been my family washed over me, but I continued, speaking slowly. "There was a woman talking to a bunch of tourists and he'd joined their group. She said she was giving tours of the city." I remembered Heidi's persuasive voice as she ushered us closer to the entrance to the Volturi's home, her overly-smooth tone making me uneasy.

"My, um, mom saw us with them, and before I could even grab David and try to get back, he ran to the front of the line, so I followed him. And when we finally got to the room, and when everything started to happen...There was so much blood. So much screaming. I still can hear it," I choked, forced to concentrate on what was undeniably the worst moment of my life. The lines of the hardwood floor I was focusing on blurred and I shut my eyes tight against the images.

"I stopped him," I continued quietly. "Nearly everyone else was done, and it was just me and David left. Demetri came towards us and I begged him not to. He wasn't planning on listening. But I put my hand out, and something happened. Something hit him that made him stagger. And it came from me. He couldn't believe it, I couldn't believe it, and Mr. Aro, he was intrigued."

"I told him I would do anything. And I meant it at the time. I was panicking. And desparate. And very incoherent. He agreed. He know how-how bewildered I was about what was going on. And he had a few ideas about what I was. He never told me about them, but they were enough to convince him to keep me, to collect me. The only thing that I had to do was erase my ties to the human world, which wasn't difficult. I grew up in foster-care." I explained, realizing that this might be a slightly important point, "And the people I was with had only just signed my papers. I mentally located my file and the few people who I'd interacted with enough to ever wonder what happened to me. I erased myself from all of it. Please don't ask me to explain how I did it. I was terrified, and that was enough to make it happen. I passed out afterwards, but as far as I know, it worked. So I've been there for the past three years. Gianna brought me clothes, books, and those things. She's very kind. I wasn't allowed above-ground though. I missed the fresh air." I didn't know how else to end, so I just stopped talking. I glanced up and saw all seven vampires staring at me intently, but thankfully, not hungrily.

"You've certainly been through a great ordeal," Carlisle observed after a moment's pause. "Thank you for telling us. Now we can clarify. We agreed to look after you so you would no longer have to live with the Volturi. I hope we were not wrong." Here I quickly shook my head. He smiled briefly. "The only stipulation that I don't think would be wise to try to overstep is that you will have to physically live with us. We do not keep the same practices as the Volturi. We do not want to harm you in any way," He spoke firmly, emphasizing this point. "We interact with the humans in this town in a non-threatening way. I work as a doctor at the hospital and some of the others go to the high school. The room that you stayed in last night is yours to keep, to decorate. We will need to create the necessary paperwork for you, and after that, you can go to school if you wish, you can pursue whatever you desire within reason. Your life is your own, even if you doubt it right now. Does that stipulation sound reasonable?" He finished his explanation with a question that sounded like he actually wanted answered.

"Yes. Very reasonable. Thank you." I managed to say. My brain was whirling. I knew that I probably looked like an idiot, standing here like a stone while he told me that I could have a very strong semblance of a normal life as long as I agreed to stay with him. I knew the adage about things not being as they seemed, but I cautiously tipped a grain of trust into my internal scale.

"Then we hope that you can be happy here," He smiled again.

"As far as the paperwork goes," Jasper stood up as he spoke. "I'll take care of that. What is your full given name?"

"I've always gone by Skylar Laine Branch," I answered.

"But you have a different official name?" He asked, obviously picking up on my evasive answer.

"They found me in an alley way by the orphanage. I had nothing with me. No birth certificate. No name. My prints matched no hospital file. So they gave me the name Skylar Laine. It's just the name of the street they found me on. 'Branch' was the name of the people who had adopted me." I told him.

"Do you want to use it for documents?" He persisted, making sure that I gave my actual opinion. I swallowed, carefully answering him.

"Master Aro found my real name. He only ever gave me the first name, but he assured me that it was legitimate. I-I thought that maybe I could use that?" My voice naturally turned up at the end of my sentence.

"That's perfectly fine. What is it?" He seemed happy that I'd actually answered him truthfully.

"Adeline. I don't know anything else about it, but if my life is to be my own again, I'd like to try to use my own name."

"Alright. 'Adeline Hale'. I think that sounds very nice," Alice commented. "Our story is that Jasper and Rose are twins. Carlisle and Esme adopted all of us, as far as anybody in Forks knows. Their long-lost baby sister just happened to pop up as well. Do you mind if we say that?" She asked, turning to me.

"Of course not."

"When were you born?" Jasper had more questions for me. I gave him the date that they had found me: April 17. I was 15 years old. Height and weight? I didn't know.

"You haven't had any medical care since you were taken, have you?" Carlisle verified. I shook my head. "We should do some routine evaluations, just to make sure that you don't have any health concerns," he decided. "We can go to the hospital today," he suggested, "after you've had something to eat," he added. I glanced at the clock; 8:00 am.

"The pantry and refrigerator are all stocked with the basics. We don't have much use for food, but you obviously can fill it with whatever you prefer." Esme told me. "Edward is learning to be a fair cook, as well, if you'd like something along those lines."

Edward started to rise from the piano.

"Thank you, but I can just make something simple. I don't want to inconvenience anybody," I quickly opened the one door, grabbing a bowl, but stupidly reaching out with my hand. The pain shot up my wrist and I dropped the ceramic bowl on the floor where broke into several pieces. I bent over to grab it.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried. In a flash, Esme was beside me, the shards gathered in her hands.

"It's alright, sweetheart. It's just a bowl. Is your wrist alright?" She asked, looking at the hand I was cradling. Carlise came closer as well.

"I don't know. I hurt it a few days ago. I didn't have anything else, so I wrapped it with an Ace bandage, but I left it upstairs." So much for not being an inconvenience.

"May I see it?" Carlisle asked. I held out the damaged limb, drawing in a sharp breath as he prodded a few areas with his cool fingers.

"How did you hurt it?" He frowned.

"Demetri stepped on it." I mumbled. "I could've healed it, or prevented it from being hurt, but Alec was there. With his ability, it makes it harder for me to use my strength." I grimaced at some of my memories of that vampire. Carlisle confirmed my suspicion as he fetched an ice pack from the freezer, saying something about it being broken and that we'd go to the hospital when I was finished my breakfast."

"Why don't you have a seat? I'll get you something to eat," Edward firmly suggested, his mouth a tight line. "And don't say anything about inconvenience. I don't mind in the slightest." I sat obediently, quietly accepting the orange juice he placed in front of me, thanking him sincerely. And so I began my day several thousand miles away from the hellhole that I'd been kept in for three years sitting at a kitchen table, eating an omelet prepared for me by a vampire.

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